Fresh at the Avenue is open Thursday–Friday 10:00AM–4:00PM and Saturday 9:00AM–4:00PM.

You can stop by to find fairly priced, high quality produce such as apples, oranges, bananas, and kale.

Historic Pennsylvania Avenue Market

The first building for the historic Pennsylvania Avenue Market was originally built in 1871. In the 20th Century, the Avenue Market and the surrounding neighborhood thrived as Pennsylvania Avenue became a center of Baltimore culture. When the wooden market burned in 1953, merchants joined together to rebuild it. By the 1990s the Lafayette Market was in need of a makeover, and it closed for renovations in 1994 before reopening in 1996 as the Avenue Market. The market was again renovated in 2012, and pays homage to the rich history it serves as an anchor for.

Fresh at the Avenue

In 2017, the No Boundaries Coalition mapped every place in 21217 where residents could purchase fresh produce vs. where residents could purchase alcohol. The ratio was 10 to 1. In Sandtown, the ratio was 16 to 0. The Coalition then surveyed over 300 residents on what food they would like in the neighborhood, ultimately receiving an overwhelmingly consistent response: residents want access to low-cost, high-quality fresh produce. To test these results, the Coalition organized a pop-up produce market on Pennsylvania Avenue. The market was so successful that it sold out!

In the days since that first pop-up market, the Coalition has moved into a permanent space in the historic Pennsylvania Avenue Market, now known as the Avenue Market. Every Thursday–Friday from 10:00AM to 4:00PM and Saturday from 9:00AM to 4:00PM, local residents stop by to purchase fresh produce that is often produced at local Baltimore City farms such as the Whitelock Community Farm and Strength to Love II, each located in the 21217 area code. The program, called Fresh at the Avenue, also serves as an important focal point of workforce development. Residents have an opportunity to gain employment at the food stall where they are paid a fair wage, given public-facing responsibilities, and trained with skills that will make them an attractive member of the workforce for other employers.

The program gets results! In 2019, over $50,000 in produce was sold from the food stall, serving 6,695 total residents, with participation from 50 volunteers contributing approximately 1,000 volunteer hours.

What Fresh at the Avenue Can Offer You

Fresh at the Avenue is also recruiting local microbusinesses, particularly those with products that provide a value add to the community, to sell products at the stall. If you or someone you know is interested in collaborating with Fresh at the Avenue to sell your value add products, please contact:

Thanksgiving Pilot Re-Opening of the Central West Baltimore Buying Club

Order Fresh, Affordable Produce for Your Holiday Meals!

Order and Delivery Details

• • Order Deadline: All orders must be placed by Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
  • Delivery Dates and Times: Deliveries will occur on:
    • Saturday, November 23 from 12 PM – 6 PM
    • Tuesday, November 26 from 12 PM – 6 PM
  • Delivery Fee: A $10 delivery fee will be added, going directly to support our drivers.

Fresh Produce at Wholesale Pricing: Directly from producers, perfect for preparing holiday meals and stocking up for the winter season.

Fresh! Workforce Development

No Boundaries Coalition has relaunched our Fresh! Workforce Development Program and we are actively recruiting. If you know a youth age 18-24 please encourage them to apply for this “earn while you learn” 12-week CulinaryWorkforce Development Program. Preparation classes will be hosted on site atSwill by Blacksmiths (906 Washington Blvd.). The work training site is no other than Fresh at the Avenue located within the Historic Pennsylvania Avenue Market (1700Pennsylvania Ave). Graduates will gain 12-weeks of instruction from a Chef and restaurant owner with over a decade of culinary experience, gain on the job training, and sit for the ServSafe Manager Certification Exam.

Our goal is to help graduates find at least part-time employment at the conclusion of the program. Fresh at the Avenue, No Boundaries’ Fresh Produce Market and the adjacent “Test & Prep Kitchen” serves as the backdrop for this exciting program. There students can apply what they learn while interacting with the amazing residents of Central West Baltimore.

Additionally, if you are a business owner in the food service or food retail industry and you would like to join our network of employers or be one of our site visits please let us know! We would love to partner with you.

To learn more about this program please contact [email protected] or call 443-414-6973.